Building block



April 5, 1938. A. M, OHAGEN ET AL BUILDING BLOCK Filed Feb. 4, 1955 7 ll Y pew @er @Memup Patented Apr. s, 193s UNITED STATES BUILDING BLOCKArchie M. OHagen,

Fosston,

and George C.

Berger, Gonvlck, Minn.

Application February 4, 1935, Serial No. 4,964

1 Claim.

This invention relates to building blocks, and has for its object theprovision of wooden blocks which may be laid in the same manner asbricks 'or building blocks of other material and which will produce astrong, durable wall readily lending itself to any scheme ofornamentation. It is also an object of the invention to provide buildingblocks to which plaster may be applied on the inside of a wall composedof the blocks and which may receive stucco or other finish upon theouter sides. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing,and consists in certain novel features which will be first fullydescribed and then more particularly defined in the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a wall constructed ofblocks embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section of a portion of such a wall showing aslight modification.

Figure 3 is a transverse section showing another variation.

The blocks, shown at I, may be of any desired dimensions and mayconveniently be of the dimensions of ordinary building bricks. Theblocks are to be laid in courses to break joint, as indicated at 2, and,to resist endwise separation of adjacent blocks in any one course,splices 3 are inserted through the blocks at the joints so as to securethe blocks together. The blocks are provided with top walls, or tops, H3and inner edges H6. On the top walls of the blocks are central ribs 4and at their front edges are similar ribs 5 and in the under sides ofthe blocks are grooves, indicated at 6, in positions corresponding tothe locations of the respective ribs, as clearly shown in Figure 1, sothat the ribs on one block will engage in the grooves in a superimposedblock and thereby maintain the blo'cks in the proper relation in thewall. On their inner edges IIB, the blocks are somewhat reduced so thata space 1 will be left between any one block and the bottom of asuperimposed block at the inner edges ofthe blocks, and adjacent thisreduced portion each block has a longitudinal groove 8 formed therein sothat at the outer side of the groove will be a rib 9. An L- shapedrecess is thus produced extending longitudinally of the wall betweensuccessive courses of the blocks and plaster may be applied to theblocks and will be keyed thereto in the recesses. as will be understood.The outer edges of the blocks may be given any desired configuration andin Figure 1 they are inclined inwardly and upwardly so that thecompleted Wall has the appearance vof ordinary weather boarding.

The wall thus produced will be very firm and strong and need not haveany adhesive or mortar interposed between successive courses, althoughsuch material may be interposed if desired. The splices 3 may be driventhrough the meeting ends of adjacent blocks in one course into the upperportions of blocks in a lower course, as shown in Figure 1, so that theseveral courses will be positively bound together. The outer surfacesofk the blocks4 may be painted or otherwise treated and may be coatedwith stucco or other finish. In Figure 3 the louter edges of the blocksare convex vertically, as shown at ID, so that the completed wall willhave the appearance of having been built from logs. The blocks shown inFigure 3 have ribs II on their, upper sides engageable in grooves I2 inthe bottoms of superposed blocks, as shown, but the ribs and grooves arenot located identically with the ribs and grooves shown in Figure 1. Inthe wall shown in Figure 3, also the plaster-receiving grooves orrecesses have been omitted.

In Figure 2, the blocks I3 have the same contour as the blocks shown inFigure 1 at their edges, but the rear or inner ribs I4 are disposedimmediately adjacent the plaster-receiving grooves, and the grooves I5in the bottoms of the blocks are correspondingly located. Deep groovesI6 are formed in the blocks I3 longitudinally thereof and extendupwardly from their lower surfaces near their front edges and downwardlyfrom their upper surfaces near their rear edges. When the blocks aresuperimposed in a wall these deep grooves will form dead air spaceswhich will increase the sound-proof and waterproof qualities of thecompleted wall. In all forms of the invention, the blocks are simple inconstruction, easily handled and a wall formed therefrom may be cheaplyand rapidly built.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A wall composed of wooden building blocks arranged in superimposedcourses, the blocks having their under faces formed with front and rearlongitudinally extending grooves and their upper faces formed with frontand rear longitudinally extending ribs for engagement in grooves ofsuperimposed blocks, the front grooves being spaced from the front edgesofthe under 'faces of the blocks and the front faces of the blocksextending upwardly at a rearward incline and merging into front faces ofthe front ribs whereby the lower portion of each course projectsfortongue near its rex' edge adapted to project into a mating groove inthe vblock mounted thereabove i'or providing e rear anchor for theblocks.' each ot said blocks having a groove adJacent said upwrdlyprojecting tongues and having a lo. relatively short rim opposite saidtongues to define an open space between the bottom inner edge Aot anoverlying block and the upper edge of the rib to cooperste with thegroove formedv between the rib and the upwardly projecting ltongue todenne an inverted L-shaped lockingspace for plaster. the inner verticalmri'aoe ofsaid blocks being in the slime` vertical plane.

ARCHI MLOHAGEN. GEORGE C. BERGER.

